Dark Knights Metal: Back To Darkness
by Knight of Tabitha
Summary: A great evil threatens not just Gotham the entire multiverse and Bruce is dragged right into it as an evil from the dark multiverse threatens not just his city but his universe. He must join forces with his city's forgotten protector the Grey Ghost and the Justice Society to save all that he loves. Inspired by Dark Knights Metal. Slight Arrowverse crossover.
1. Chapter 1

" _You really thought you had it all figured out. That you knew every combination in the deck. And it would_ _ **thrill**_ _you every time you were right, when the hand came down in a familiar pattern. A familiar story..._ about an outsider who can see the good in all of us. About how we all have the power to fight for what is right. Or how we can each overcome our darkest moments. _But_ _ **this**_ _isn't any of those stories. There are familiar parts, but they're all in the wrong places. And there's nothing more frightening than when all the cards lay out on the table just right... but then_ another card _comes and changes the meaning of the entire hand... and there's no way to know what's going to happen." -The Batman Who Laughs_

 _ **Central City Earth 08 (Five Years prior to the Wanye Murder)...**_

Jay Garrick looked at his side kick Barry struggling to cling to life in the hospital. The poor kid had been poisoned by a dangerous criminal he wasn't prepared for. Jay looked at the kid and felt no he knew he was to blame he should have been more careful in the field.

"Jay are you alright?" Grey Ghost asked appearing from behind.

"Jeez Ghost don't sneak up on my I hate when you do that."

"I'm sure Barry will make it Jay."

"Thanks. Is it true your retiring and hanging up you cape as they say?"

"Yeah I was told I'd die if I keep this up by a psychic who I've verified as the real deal. I'm not afraid of dying Jay but I see Kid Flash I see Barry and I think there has to be a better way."

"Look I'm not Carter or Kendra. I'm just a guy who got lucky and got super speed. I'm not even really a fighter. So I get where you are coming Ji-"

"No real names in public at least not my name remember?" Grey Ghost interrupted.

"Right sorry Ghost. I just I just hope you know I'll have your back and you'll always be welcomed back in the Justice Society if you change you mind."

"That's a comfort Flash. I stay till Barry pulls through."

"Thank you old friend."

 _ **Earth X (Present Day)…**_

Citizen Cold struggled to move he didn't know how it could go so wrong he believed the worst was behind him and his world that with the Reich gone that the worst was over nothing but good times ahead he was so wrong "So tell me Cold. That's what they call you isn't it? Citizen Cold?" Azrael a nightmarish vampire like being asked as he walked behind his crawling victim "Did you ever think you would miss your old enemies?"

"Honestly no." Snart answered in a sarcastic tone "I have to say the New Reichsmen at least had some humanity to them."

"You mean like love?" Azrael mocked "That's what got them all killed if you ask me. Dark Arrow's love for his wife Overgirl made him too focused on her. He fell apart like a little bitch. Same with Siren X and Blitzkrieg the speedster of this world. Did you know that Blitzkrieg was in love with this world's version of Iris? Talk about funny, a Nazi in love with a black girl."

"Good for him nice to know not all the New Reichsmen were misguided fanatics." Snart retorted grunting in pain as Azrael flipped him on his back. Azrael was thin and dressed in black robes and armor, his nails were long and sharp, his voice like a snake hissing, Azrael had a black hood covering his head and obscuring his face. Snart could only see long white hair "Are you some kind of trump card they had waiting in the wings?"

Azrael let out a light chuckle "No. I'm not even from this world or this multiverse for that matter. I must say even when the Nazis were calling the shots this world was a paradise compared to mine. Did you know that beneath or multiverse there is another? A place where the darkness rules and worlds that should not exist, worlds that suffer so that your worlds can thrive are born and die over and over like a bad song on repeat." Azrael knelt down and grabbed Snart by the chin pulling him close "Did you know that? I'm from the dark I'm a nightmare made flesh. My world and so many others down in the dark die again and again so worlds up in the light the detestable light can live. Well now everything in the dark is freed by the god, Barbatos and now the nightmares meant to be locked away are free."

"Just kill him already Azrael." A woman dressed in a armor bearing a tiger skin design and wearing a cat shaped helmet said abruptly "I'm bored of this world already it fell way to easy. Tell me again why we had to wait for the New Reichsmen men to die off?"

Azrael took a deep breath before exhaling as if to calm himself "This world was safe under their protection the resistance was easy to slaughter by comparison that's why we waited Tigris. Blitzkrieg ran off to another Earth with his Iris and was our only real concern now that his comrades are gone. I decided to let him have a happy ending for a brief moment anyway. After all, all roads lead back to Barbatos, to darkness." Azrael then grabbed Snart lifting him up with one had and bit his neck. Snart screamed in agony with his last breath he died knowing his world was doomed.

 _ **Hall of Justice Gotham City Branch (Earth 08)…**_

It was a month after the beginning of what the world was calling the No Man's Land incident and Gotham was in chaos fortunately their was a man in the city who knew what who to call a man long forgotten a man who stayed in the shadows a man called the Grey Ghost.

Grey Ghost dressed in clothes designed for battle and wore a hood his face was covered by a gas mask of his own design "Come on I sent the signal out days ago someone should have responded."

"I never thought I'd be hearing from you again Ghost." Carter hall better known as Hawkman said while walking through the front door with is wife Kendra.

"Yeah I thought you retired Ghost is Gotham so out of hand you need the old gang? Not that we don't want to help out an old friend." Kendra added.

Ghost took a deep breath "Gotham is turning into a war zone and I can't save it through conventional means. I need heroes real heroes the kind that criminals in this city will not be ready for. I was hoping to get-" Just then a red and blue blur came zooming in Grey Ghost recognized it instantly "Thank you for coming Jay."

The blur stopped and Jay Garrick the Flash smiled at his friend "Anytime Ghost. Glad your back in the game."

"So is this everyone?" Grey Ghost asked hopeful.

Jay nodded "Powergirl is already tearing through Firefly's territory you know her straight to the battle. Her daughter is with her you remember Powergirl right?"

Grey Ghost nodded "Yes she just started when I retired nice to here she's still alive. Anyone else?"

"Yeah." Carter answered "Alan Scott is going after that Freeze guy then he's going after some flying Manbat thing. Kendra and I are going after Penguin and Jay has already opted to go after some weird Misandrist woman. We did a quick intel search before hitting the city and the only criminal unaccounted for is a Tabitha Galavan. Apparently this Kean woman went off the deep end and not even her girlfriend or whatever could handle her insanity this time around. We'll find Tabitha don't worr-"

"Tabitha Galavan is being held prisoner by Jeremiah Velaska. She was trying to get revenge for Butch Gilzean her boyfriend when her plan to kill Penguin was interrupted by Jeremiah." Grey Ghost interrupted.

"So you're going after Velaska? Figures you'd save the most dangerous guy for yourself." Jay smirked not expecting anything less from his old friend.

"I'm the best equipped to handle him and besides Jeremiah is not expecting someone like me." Grey Ghost then stopped for a moment "Hawkman there's something I need to ask of you."

"Ghost don't. I don't care what some dam half ass psychic said you coming out of retirement does not mean…" Carter stopped when Grey Ghost interrupted him.

"I left because I was told this life would be the end of me I tried to protect the innocent in other ways but I was wrong this is the only way I need to say this Carter, there's a kid Bruce Wayne he's rough around the edges a lot like me when I was starting out I've thought about mentoring him if I die before that I'd like you to reach out to him." Grey Ghost asked looking at the dusty Justic Society table.

"Look guys can we get this over with I got to get back to Central City." Jay spoke abruptly.

"Yeah besides I need to take out Jeremiah before he does anything I can't undo." Grey Ghost said "Still I feel like something worse is on the horizon."

 _ **Gotham City Sirens Club…**_

It was way too easy for them to take out the Sirens. Azrael's vampire horde rampaged across the city under the cover of night and tore the sisters of the League to pieces "What was it you decreed Barbara Kean or is it Barbara Queen?" Azrael mocked as he poured himself a glass it was fun seeing her struggle against her restraints and scream through he gag "I remember when you used to be beautiful Babs. Then again you only ever have had your looks not much else." He laughed "Now you're just some fugly short haired man hating dyke." Azrael gestured his finger giving his vampires the signal to ungag her.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She yelled furious and full of entitlement "You trash my club. You kill my underlings and now your drinking my booze? You got some nerve I'm going to-"

"No." He interrupted still speaking casually "No you are not going to do anything. You're a pathetic wretch who's only managed to leech off, of others Barbara. I mean let's face you are nothing without someone to lean on. My Barbara was just like you. Pathetic and worthless to the core not to mention delusional to the last breath. Death for you Barbara would be a kindness." Azrael mused "Just look at your drinking policy ladies drink for free whilst me don't." Azrael laughed after saying it "No wonder, you stick to a life of crime probably the only way to keep this dump afloat. You are no one special Barbara." Azrael stood up from the stool walking over from the bar "Well that is not entirely true once upon a time you were special to me at least. Now your just a walking embarrassment. Want to know a secret? Years from now nobody cares or knows the name Barbara Kean you're a nobody and that's how you will always be and always were meant to be. I know this because I've been to multiple Earths and have explored the multiverse to its fullest this Earth is a little bit behind the others though."

"Multiverse?"

"Yes a multiverse. I won't bother explaining especially since you are not going to live to care. All you need to know is that you Barbara Kean are completely unimportant. Sure, some think you are but the thing about stories is that they often come with a twist and in your case the twist is that you are not the Barbara Kean in the history books." Azrael grinned "In fact when you think about how history really goes it makes since your destined to be forgotten." He then continued "It always ends the same for you no matter what Earth I go to. That's the surprising thing really. Still at least one thing is consistent about you."

"Who are you? Do we know each other?"

"Yes we do know each other Babs. We know each other intimately and not at all." Azrael spoke cryptically.

"Why are you doing this to control Gotham?" Barbara was then slapped by Azrael.

"No, you think to small Barbara just like Oswald and just like Ed you all had so much potential, but you never saw beyond Gotham or yourselves. I think perhaps that's the one thing Theo had that put him and keeps him even in death above you all. He didn't see Gotham as a finish line he saw it as a stepping stone. Something he and I much as it makes my blood boil to admit but that's something he and I had in common I think we were both mirror images of one another and that's why I hated him so much. I saw in him the man I truly was all I had to do was admit it to myself. Goodbye Barbara it was fun seeing you one last time." Azrael poured a bottle of liquor on her and lit a match he tossed it and watched as she burned alive Azrael smiled as he took in the screaming woman her agonizing death was music to his ears.

 _ **Penguin's territory (same time)…**_

Penguin crawled on the ground in pain his entire territory was over run by vampire like monsters they were like Manbat but different more he didn't know why but they were more perverse "Whoever you are you will pay for this."

"Yeah, yeah you're the Penguin blah blah. The king of this stupid city." A woman in black said while walking slowly behind him he didn't know who she was but something about her was familiar. She dressed in black skintight clothes and her head was by a hood and her face was was covered by a mask "Hard to believe I used to obsess over killing you now kill a Penguin on any Earth just bores me."

She kicked him over on to his back she put her heel on his chest she took out a cross bow aimed it right at him. He finally got a good look at her "You, your?"

"I'm Huntress." She pulled the trigger before he could finish speaking. Her arrow shot him right in his head and then she said, "and your dead."

"Huntress." One of the vampires snarled.

She glared over at them "What is it?"

"We found this Earth's Lee Thompkins and Edward Nygma they are moments from being brought back from the dead." The vampire said then he asked "What do you want us to…"

Huntress cut him off "Kill them both Strange to if you haven't already. Only thing more boring than killing Penguin is killing Ed and that stupid bitch Lee just kill them wait now that I think about it don't take them to Azrael in the catacombs beneath the city. You know how much Azrael loves his Lees and torturing Riddlers. Just take them to the lair before sunrise."

 _ **Arkham Asylum (Jeremiah's Lair)…**_

The asylum was abandoned and perfect for Jeremiah to use as his lair "So you really thought you could get to me huh? Didn't expect me to get you I bet. It was only logical I'd go after you while your guard was down I expected more from you honestly." Jeremiah asked Tabitha who he kept tied to a chair.

"After what you did to Selina yeah you bet I was coming after you. So this is the part where you kill me? Even if I die Bruce is going to find you if not him Selina."

Jeremiah cracked a smile "Eventually I will kill you. First, I need your help Ms. Galavan."

Tabitha scoffed "Like I am ever going to help you."

"Oh, I think you will." Jeremiah walked over to the lab table removing a sheet he revealed a strange piece of a head gear.

"What is that?"

"Are you familiar with a device used by a professor Hugo Strange? He used it on patients such as Oswald Cobblepot and Barbara Kean. I made his machine based off his designs. I made some improvements however."

"What kind of improvements?"

"Hugo's version required basic and mediocre drugs. I'm using a combination of red queen and Johnathan's fear toxin. It's my hope that once I perfect the process I will be able to make Bruce come around to my way of thinking first I need someone to survive it to understand the potential effects regardless there's no absolute guarantee it will affect everyone the same way." Jeremiah explained getting the head piece ready.

"Get that thing away from me!" Tabitha jerked away struggling with her restraints.

"I'm not giving you a choice." Jeremiah said forcibly putting the device on Tabitha's head. He took out to needles connected to the device via tubes "This is to get the drugs in your system."

"Stop it!"

"You should be honored this is for scientific discovery after all." Jeremiah finished getting the needles into her skin "Careful I don't want to damage an artery."

"I'll kill you!"

"No you won't." Jeremiah flipped a switch and the saved up power did it's work Tabitha started screaming as her brain was shocked and her body was pumped full of drugs Jeremiah leaned back casually oberserving her writhing in agony. "Fascinating." Jeremiah then heard a noise outside the laboratory "Must have a visitor." Jeremiah walked out of the lab carrying a gun. He partly hoped it was Bruce in his own sick way he missed his friend a lot "Is that you Bruce? I have to thank you. I was worried I'd have to come and find you." Jeremiah saw a shadow down the hall he followed knowing Bruce wouldn't kill him. He turned the corner to find a dead end "Curious. I've never known you to be the hiding type Bru-"

In that moment Grey Ghost came up from behind Jeremiah "I'm not Bruce." In seconds Grey Ghost was on Jeremiah disarming the gun in his hand and his other holstered weapons. Jeremiah tried to fight back but Grey Ghost was more experienced and better trained.

"Ecco!" Jeremiah cried for help as he was thrown to the wall.

"She's not coming Jeremiah I took her out first. It's over and before you reach for your detonator I disarmed the bombs you rigged up in the building and I have disarmed the new bombs you have in the city."

"Impossible no one is that well prepared." Jeremiah charged Grey Ghost who easily beat him to a pulp.

"I'm not just anyone." He delivered the finishing blow knocking out Jeremiah "I'm the Grey Ghost protector of Gotham."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Gotham City Cemetary…**_

Weeks had passed since the end of what would be called the No Man's Land incident. Jim first heard Barbara had been killed for a second time from the police officers working under him. He made sure Barbara would receive a burial.

"I'm sorry." Jim said as he looked at her grave "I know you probably never expected to hear me say that Barbara. Nobody even knows I'm here right now much less that I'm the one who paid for your funeral." Jim sighed as he looked out at the rest of the graves "I miss you Barbara I miss us. I never said it but I do. Did you know that you hurt me without even realizing it? You didn't even have to try. One of the ways you hurt me was you never even realized why I kept you at a distance. I didn't keep you at a distance because I didn't want you I kept you at a distance because Barbara… because I wanted you so badly I couldn't stand it. Sometimes I wonder which of us was really dead."

Jim took a moment to look at her grave "Barbra do you remember when I was done with the balloon man case? I remember you were once the kind of woman who would never want to see me take a life even if that person was a monster. I know Lee probably thinks I was glad when she understood that I killed Theo, but the truth was I was hoping she'd be upset with me like I knew you would have been at least back when you were innocent. No, I'm just putting you on a pedestal." Jim shed a slight tear and wiped it off "Maybe we were both putting each other on a pedestal. Maybe the problem was we never accepted one another for who we truly were. Though what really hurt me Barbara was and I doubt you knew this but what really hurt was you never realized why I kept coming around. I was happy when I saw you landed on your feet after Penguin's crime licensing started up.

"Didn't you think was odd Barbara? I never came after you I left you alone unlike Penguin did you ever wonder why? You must have suspected I still had feelings for you." Jim tilted his head back and looked up at the morning sky "How did we get here Barbara? We were once happy yeah we weren't perfect you were a drunk albeit a high functioning one and I was an idealistic cop with anger issues but still we were happy. Look I know I never said this out loud but I should have left Gotham with you when I had a chance. I know I kept secrets but I guess I owe you this last one…" Jim paused hesitant to confess "I hate Oswald and not for the reasons you think Barbara there's something I never told you the truth is…"

 _ **Deep Beneath Gotham…**_

Azrael was sitting on a throne crafted from bones placed a top of a mountain of corpses "I must say Oswald was a pathetic little maggot but his blood no matter which version I drink from is rather divine." Azrael then took another sip of blood from his chalice then looked down at a kneeling Tigris "Tigris, tell me something I no longer sense our Master's presence in this this multiverse you were charged with keeping in contact with his main forces the Dark Knights. Do you know why I know longer sense Barbatos?"

"Master Azrael, Barbatos was defeated by the Justice League of the zero universe and imprisoned." Tigress answered keeping her head down "I do not know what happened to the Dark Knights."

"Well it's not like the Laughing Bat didn't for see this." Azrael shrugged "Besides this world it's very similar our old world well I should say worlds, but you know what I mean. Besides there is no reason we can't rebuild and build up our army here and free our master in the future. How is Huntress?"

"She's…" Tigris paused for a second "She's with Grundy. You know how she gets when she kills a Penguin."

"Yeah." Azrael sighed "I must admit I'm bored. I hope this world will put up some sort of a challenge. Now you mentioned Huntress brought us the Lee and Ed of this world here?"

"Yes do you want me to-"

"No." He interrupted "Just leave them where they are for now I'd have preferred to see this world's Tabitha over Lee." Azrael sighed and grew quiet.

"Is something wrong?" Tigris asked confused by his sudden change in mood.

"Nothing it's just I miss Tabitha my world's Tabitha I mean. Funny isn't it? You can't help who you fall in love with. By all accounts she and I…" Azrael paused choking up "she and I should not have fallen in love and yet we did and to my surprise in every world we somehow find each other."

"What is Tabitha to you?" Tigris asked growing more curious.

"In my world the Dumas were a powerful family in Gotham rivaling the Waynes. In my world Tabitha was known as Tabitha Dumas and worked as a well-known attorney a prosecutor to be exact. I first met her in Crime Alley she took my breath away I'll tell you that right now. She and I would always fight and argue. The talks we would have." Azrael's tone became uncharacteristically pleasant and for a moment Azrael seemed human in this moment of nostalgia. "I miss her. Hence why I like keeping Huntress around. She, Tabitha I mean always would say to me that even the smallest flicker of light shines in the darkness. My Tabitha was an idealist you see. I though was not an idealist. I envied her optimism and sense of right and wrong she was so much like I was when I started out. I also envied her compassion. She believed like I once did that everybody had to matter or else nobody mattered. She would say that to me often everybody has to matter or else nobody matters. Yes, her compassion had no comparison to any other."

"Compassion?" Tigress laughed "I don't think of compassion when I think of Tabitha no matter what version of her it is."

"Want to know a secret?" Azrael asked then continued "When I first met my Earth's Tabitha I hated her and we for a long time were practically strangers. I didn't expect to fall in love with her. When I did though what I felt for her was stronger than anything I ever felt for any woman. She meant more to me than Barbara well it's fairer to say she meant as much to me as Barbara, but she certainly meant more to me than Lee ever did that's why when…"

"When what?" Tigress asked now completely intrigued.

Azrael tapped his nails on his throne repeatedly while staying quiet "I'm not talking about this with you. Besides you hate Tabitha every version for abandoning you isn't that right?"

"Yes, she let me die so I hate her. I became a freak because of her." Tigress answered.

"A freak hiding in a suit because she's too disgusted by her true powers to use them." Azrael added.

"Shut up." Tigress took a deep breath and exhaled she then started to storm off "I'm going out."

"Where to?"

"To kill this Earth's Selina. What else would I do for fun?" Tigress answered while storming off.

"I swear kids these days no respect for their elders." Azrael smirked as leaned back "So me who is not me how will you react when we finally meet? Have you been able to hold on to the things you care about or like me do you continue to lose everything you love? How will you react when your love for Tabitha begins to grow?"

 _ **The Ghost Cave…**_

His lair was an old bunker built under a subway long abandoned by the city Grey Ghost continued to shine a light in Tabitha's eyes attempting to get a response "Pupils have returned to normal. That's a good a sign." He said this while speaking into a recorder "Tabitha Galavan has been exposed to a concentrated dose of both fear toxin and the street drug red queen in addition to this Tabitha's been shocked with a modified version of Hugo Strange's unusual device that is strapped to the head.

"The result of which has left her in a frightened but catatonic state. However over the last few days she's slowly become responsive. I'm not sure if she's even aware of who she is at this point. It's unclear the full effect this will have on her."

Grey Ghost put his recorder down and reviewed his notes he knew a regular hospital would not be able to help her. His notes were less than useless. Grey Ghost shook his head wondering why he even bothered coming out of "retirement" or why he called his old friends from the Justice Society to help.

Just as he was about to hook Tabitha up to an I.V. to give her nutrients his only means keeping her fed Tabitha jumped and started screaming "Who are you?" She screamed quickly looking around.

"Calm down my name is…" Grey Ghost paused remembering he was still in his outfit and he knew it would be best to not tell her his real name "I go by the Grey Ghost, but my friends call me Ghost."

"Who am I?" She took another look around "Where am I? Why can't I remember who I am?" Tabitha looked at him with a sad and frightened look on her face "Please answer me."

"Your name is Tabitha Galavan you were captured by a man named Jeremiah Velaska. He caught you while you were trying to kill a man named Oswald Cobblepot." Grey Ghost explained to the panicked Tabitha "You were given a heavy dose of two hallucinogenic drugs and were subjected to extreme electro shock. You don't remember any of this?"

"No." Tabitha shook her head still distraught.

"Okay." Grey Ghost took a deep breath "Let's try to relax and calm down are you hungry thirsty maybe?"

Tabitha nodded "Well my throat feels sore. Do you have a real name I don't remember much but I know enough to know Grey Ghost can't be your real name."

"Ghost will have to do for now." Grey Ghost then realized she might need to clean herself off after being out of it for so long "If you need a shower it's in the back."

"I do but I need some time to process all this even more." Tabitha answered as she looked over to the back of the bunker and saw a bathroom "If I come out of there will you not be here?" She asked visibly concerned then adding "I don't want to be alone when I come out."

"I will be here when you come out and I'll a fresh new change of clothes for you." Grey Ghost explained.

"Why do you have clothes for me was I out that long that you-"

Grey Ghost quickly interrupted her "I have had guests as you might call them here before criminal witnesses and the like all needed a place to hide none knew the exact location. All of them were never allowed to know the specifics of this location."

"Can I ask how a guy ends up wearing a mask and fighting crime? That's what you do right you fight criminals?"

"I…" Grey Ghost paused "I lost two people very close to me over the years first my father and then my mother. I made a vow nobody would no, that pain again and I became Gotham's secret guardian I used to be its secret guardian I mean. I guess you could say I've been retired for a long time." He explained in a sad tone "I came here a lot over the years the dark it comforts me."

"It must be lonely being down here alone in the dark." Tabitha was silent for a moment as she walked to the bathroom she stopped before reaching the door and turned to Grey Ghost before saying "I know I don't remember much about my life before but thank you for saving me." Tabitha then walked over to Grey Ghost and hugged him he was surprised by how warm it felt and how much he found her hugging to be comforting even with his mask on he was clearly more than a little shocked. Grey Ghost watched Tabitha go into the bathroom and shut the door.

He heard about the death of Butch Gilzean even with her memories gone Grey Ghost suspected telling her might hurt her so with that in mind he didn't bring it up after all Grey Ghost knew what it was like to lose someone to. He got a call on his cell phone he removed his mask Grey Ghost answered the phone "Harvey I know we need to restore order to the city but I'm busy with something very important."

"Jim where have you been it's chaos I got reports of hawk people, a red blur and all kinds of crazy." Harvey became even more panicked ""

"I understand that Harvey but listen to me I'm looking after someone I can't leave her right now."

"Jim listen to me someone took out both Barbara and Penguin in one night. They crossed multiple territories. Somebody is making a move Partner. Also, I should mention Jim there's been talk about making you the new Commissioner."

"Me? Why would anyone want me to be commissioner?"

"Jim you've either helped to or have saved this city god only knows how many times. You deserve to be commissioner." Harvey replied in his usual attitude.

"I will be at the GCPD in a couple of hours. Just need to take care of something first." Jim hung up on Harvey and then called Bruce "Hey Bruce, we need to talk I have to tell you something but this wasn't how I wanted to do it. I'm in a bind though and there are circumstances. Well I'm sure you get it anyway I need you to watch someone for me and later on I'll tell you everything."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Negative Earth 1939 (Many Years Ago)…**_

Jim Gordon felt cold as he opened his eyes he heard a man speak "Do you know who you are?"

Jim tried to think but his mind was coming up blank. His view focused on the man standing in front of him it was his Earth's Hugo Strange "I can't remember."

Hugo's eyes closed with frustration then he gave Jim the name and knew persona he had picked out "Your name is Azrael. You are the redeemed one. You are charged with bringing a righteous reckoning to sinners and the damned. You are Azrael."

Seconds later Azrael caught something a image of a beautiful woman in sleeping next to it was his Earth's Tabitha Galavan. A rage mixed with a panic over took Azrael he broke his restraints and lunged at Hugo.

Hugo tried to run but Azrael was to fast. At this point Azrael did not have white hair or pale skin he looked almost completely normal. He was on Strange in minutes he bit Hugo's throat and tore into it. The spliced bat DNA Hugo gave him created a raw uncontrollable animal instinct.

As he fed he grew stronger his memory of his past of Tabitha kept coming in more clearly. As Hugo Strange breathed his last breath he heard Azrael utter the name "Tabitha."

 _ **Earth 08 (Present Day)…**_

Bruce wasn't sure what he was looking at it was a walk way that went down but it led him to an iron door. Bruce took a quick look around and saw nothing above ground and the area gave no sign of a building above ground anywhere. Jim came out from behind the iron door "Thank you for coming Bruce I need to show you something. Follow me and please close the door behind you."

"Jim, I do not understand. What's going on?"

"It would be easier if I showed you." Jim said leading Bruce inside. Bruce did as his friend asked and closed the door behind him.

"You need to understand Bruce I never thought I'd be using this place again. For many years I thought crime in the shadows in time I became known as the Grey Ghost. I guess you could say I used to be like you and Alfred but I met someone it was Barbara. Around that time I was told by a reliable source that if I continued to act as the Grey Ghost I would meet my end." Jim explained leading Bruce down further into the dark passage way.

"What is this place?" Bruce asked out of curiosity.

"My lair I guess. I call it the Ghost Cave like a man cave you know? Anyway with how insane Gotham has become I knew it was time for the Ghost to return. Perhaps if I had stayed active as the Grey Ghost none of what's happened in Gotham would have." Jim finally brought Bruce to an underground room Bruce could see more rooms each was large and it was clearly all meant for a complex and massive operation "I've brought you here for two reasons Bruce. The first is I can only trust you to look after someone Jeremiah he captured Tabitha and he used an unusual device of some kind to fry her brain he meant to use it on you. He wanted to make you like him however it seems the device has effected Tabitha in an unusually way."

"How unusual?"

"Well she has no memory and seems to have become a very different person."

That was when Tabitha came out of the shower in a white bathrobe "Hi are you Ghost's friend?" She asked innocently "I'm Tabitha, Tabitha Galavan or so he tells me." She smiled warmly extending her hand for a handshake.

"Well I'm…" Bruce shook her hand shocked by the difference in her personality "I'm Bruce Wayne. We've met before though."

"Oh, were we friends?"

"Not exactly we had a friend in common. Selina Kyle do you remember her?"

"No I do not. Is she okay?"

"Yeah she was shot by the man who did this to you." Bruce looked over at Jim "Why did you bring her hear?"

"I didn't want to risk anybody coming after her like this Bruce. Even with Penuin gone I didn't want to take chances." Jim explained.

"So, Penguin is gone?"

"Yeah happened while I was taking down Jeremiah. Barbara was hit to. Whoever did took, out both of them completely." Jim told Bruce then looked at a confused Tabitha "I'm sorry if I haven't told you yet Barbara my Ex and you were very close she was killed recently. Along with a man you were not to fond of. I don't know who is behind it but I will find out. I should probably warn you both there is a lot you do not know."

"Like what?"

"Well remember Theo Galavan? Tabitha's bother?"

"Yeah. Hard to forget him actually." Bruce nodded.

"Well right before the No Man's Land started I started being Grey Ghost again and I discovered a doctor nicknamed Dollmaker was working on some messed up stuff like Frankenstein messed up." Jim took a deep breath "I had to call in the Justice Society for help which is what lead me to asking them to help me take down the criminals in Gotham. We discovered that another scientist was working with Dollmaker and you have to understand Bruce I would have told you sooner."

"Jim what are you saying?"

"I'm more than a little confused myself here." Tabitha interrupted.

"I'll explain everything later. Bruce there's another reason I brought you here. Dollmaker and this other scientist were experimenting with human brains and one of those brains was successfully transplanted into a techno organic body called Amazo."

"Jim please tell me you are not saying that…"

"Theo has been resurrected in a much stronger body but was caught by the society and locked in a prison for super villains. Well he's being transferred to a prison for people with special abilities." Jim told Bruce speaking quickly.

"Oh, and you were going to tell me this when?" Bruce was angry "Please tell me he was at least caught right away."

"He was running around and collecting superpowers for three days. His new body has the ability to copy unique abilities Bruce."

"So, Tabitha's psycho brother was brought back a second time and was running around with super powers for three days and you didn't tell me."

"Theo was busy he had a lot of hidden assets Bruce. I still do not know what he did with them, but he was planning something." Jim then added "Theo is more dangerous than ever now. He was just getting his ducks in a row before coming back to Gotham and it's fortunate we caught him when we did because he could have killed half the people in this city in a very short amount of time. I doubt the world could stand up to him if he got free the Society barely defeated him."

"Wait a minute." Bruce stopped to think about something for a second "You asked me here so that while he was being transported the two of us would be safe. That's why you called me isn't Jim?"

"Yes but I do need you to keep an eye on Tabitha and besides in his new body Theo or Amazo is practically immortal the best the Society can do right now is seal him in a underground prison located at the bottom of the ocean. That will hopefully hold him for a good while. You can even help Tabitha catch up with what's going on. Look if everything works out Amazo will be trapped in the world's most secure prison by the end of the day, Gotham will finally have some semblance of peace with Penguin gone and the underworld decimated from the latest upheaval in power. Gotham is going to finally know peace Bruce. Look I have to go so please both of you stay here and don't leave until I tell you otherwise."

 _ **Deep Beneath Gotham…**_

Azrael looked at the skull of a dead Oswald Cobblepot and smiled at the sight of Ed Nygma and Lee being dragged in "Oh hi Ed. So lovely to see you again."

Ed squinted his eyes trying to get a better look at the cloaked figure sitting on the pile of bones "No way."

"Yes, I know." Azrael laughed. "You hear my voice. You see me move and you wonder how it could possibly be me." Azrael stood up and walked towards Ed "Like the skull? I use it for a chalice it used to be your Earth's Penguin. I come from another world and I have news for you Ed I love torturing you well various versions of you. You could imagine my surprise when I heard you and Lee were together on this world's Earth." He snapped his fingers and two vampires dragged Lee out "I killed my Earth's Lee by the way."

"Wait what? What are you doing?" Ed shook his head confused "We both just died and were brought back to life why are you doing this?"

"Why?" Azrael smiled beneath his hood "I can't speak for this Earth's version of me but I used to follow Lee around like a love sick puppy just like you. Do you want to know a secret Lee? I didn't chase you because I loved you I thought I did but when I found the true love of my life I realized I was using you to run from the darkness in my heart and soul. She was one of the first few I killed when I became this. It felt so good she was so certain that I wouldn't kill her so certain that I loved her too much what she failed to understand is Barbara had it right Lee was a rebound. All she ever was to me was a replacement it was only a matter of admitting to myself the truth."

Lee looked on in horror she even considered the possibility that she was in hell "Who are you?"

"Why Lee I'm offended. You don't recognize me? I know I look different but really Lee tell me I'm not the same man you've always known?" Azrael asked walking towards her.

"Jim? How did this happen to you?"

"I'm not your Jim. How I became like this is an amusing story albeit a long one I have died three times Lee and I mutated with each resurrection though that's not a story for your ears. In my world I am not only for lack of a better word an immortal vampire. I'm the demon's head and this all around you-" Azrael extended his arms acknowledging the many vampires surrounding them "this is my League of Shadows. Formed from the many victims I've taken across the multiverse. I have a rather impressive collection of warriors. I have been moving them to this world little by little. Soon my entire army will be here."

"For what to rule Gotham?" Ed asked terrified "You wouldn't be the first to try that."

Azrael laughed at Ed "My, your ambition is limitless Ed." Azrael mocked him crossing his arms "My ambitions are far grander then you can imagine. Why would I be satisfied ruling a city? When I can rule a world! Why stop there even? I have conquered entire universes I have been to alien planets and have seen things neither of you could possibly imagine. No Ed I am not out to rule Gotham. I want it all and when I say I want it all I mean I want it all. You two are just, appetizers prior to the main course." Azrael smiled while he licked his lips.


End file.
